Container



NOV. TZ; 1929. c N' 1,735,323

CONTAINER Original Filed Feb; 5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet, l

Nov'. 12, I929 'c. LENFANT I 1,735,323

' CONTAINER Original Filed Feb. 5. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 avwewtoz Patented Nov. 12, 1929 PATENT orricr.

CHARLES LENFANT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y J

con'ramnn Application filed February 5, 1926, Serial No. 86,129.: .Renewed July 2, 192 8.

16 case or container embodying two hingedly,

connected sections each having opposite walls disposed in a common plane, and one of saidsections being provided with an article receiving compartment projecting beyond the open side of said section and adapted to project into the other section of the case or container when the latter is open or closed.

It is another object of the invention to provide a case of the above type having opposite rounded or convex edges and hinge means connecting the case sections to each other adjacent one of said convex edges and permit ting of a limited relative opening movement of the case sections.

It is another object of the invention to provide means whereby the article receiving compartment is rendered substantially air tight when the case or container is closed.

It is a further general object of my present improvements to provide a case or container especially adapted as a holder for cigarettes which may be easily operated by the use of one hand to render its contents accessible, and may be manufactured and sold at relatively small cost.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved container and in the form, construction, and relative arrangement of its several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated several simple and practical embodiments of the invention, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,-

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one form of the improved container when closed;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the container open;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a closed container showing another form of my improvements;

Fig. 4: is a vertical sectional view of the cortainer illustrated in Fig. 3, in one position, an

Figs. 5 and 6 are res ectively, views similar to Figs. 3 and 4 showing still another modified construction of the device.

- Referring in'detail to the drawin s, and for the present more particularly to igs. 1 and 2 thereof, wherein I-have illustrated a preferred embodiment of 'my present improvements, the case or container as therein shown consists essentially of the two body sections 5 and 6 respectively, each of which has parallel side walls 7 and 8 respectively. The corresponding side walls of these case sections are positioned in a common plane and have diagonally extending meeting edges 9 and 10. The opposite end walls of the case section 5 are rounded or convex as shown at 11, said end walls being of relatively difi'erent lengths. The case section 6 at one end thereof also has the rounded or convex end wall 12, which, when the case is closed is positioned in alignment with the shorter end wall 11 of the case section 5. The opposed ends of these convex end walls of the two case sections are so cut or shaped that when the case is closed, they are spaced apart as indicated 'at 13.

Between the side wall 7 of the case section 5 and adjacent the relatively short convex end wall 11 thereof in parallel relation thereto a rigid meniber 14 is fixed. Within the case section 6 one end of the article holder 15 is fixed.'- As herein shown, this article holder may be provided with one or more compartments for thereception of the cigarettes or other articles indicated at C and has parallel side walls fixed to the inner sides of the walls 8 of the case section 6 and a bot tom or end wall 16 which is spaced from the convex end wall 12 of said case section. The article holder projects beyond the open side of the case section 6 and the side walls of said holder at the open end of the latter are cut away as indicated at 17 to permit the cigarette G to be easily grasped and withdrawn there-- from. There is thus provided a flange 18 constitutingan integral part of each side wall of the holder projecting beyond the diagonal edges 10 of the side walls of the case section 6 at the free end of the latter. The edge wall 19 of the case section 6 constitutes one of the end walls of the articleholder and projects beyond said flanges 18 as at 20 for engage= ment with a suitable spring latch member 21 securedto one end wall 11 of the case section 5 whereby said case sections are yieldingly retained in closed position.

The rigid memberl i is connected with the.

bottom or end wall 16 of the article holder by means of a suitable hinge indicated at 22 located at one end of the diagonal edges9 and. 10 of the side walls of the case sections. This hinge permits of the relative pivotal opening movement of the two case sections asshown in Fig; 2 until the opposed ends of the convex walls 11 and 12 of said case sections come into Contact with each other whereby such relative opening movement of the case sections is limited. For'the purpose of convenlently opening the case, the bottom of the case section 5 is only partially closed by the short longitudinal wall 23, thereby aflording an opening indicated at 24 through which the finger may be inserted to engage the end wall 25 of the article holder. By applying sufiicient pressure the case section 6 may be forced upwardly against the action of the spring latch member 21, thereby carrying the article holder 25 to the osition shown in Fig. 2 where the ends 0 the .articles contained in said holder are exposed between the spaced sections of the case so that they can be readily withdrawn.

In order to prevent possible breaking of the hinge 2 2 or injury to the walls of the case sections by too great a pressure being applied.

against the wall 25 of the article holder, 1 may provide a flexible strap indicated at 26 connectingthe bottom wall 16 of said holder at one of its ends to the lower end of the fixed member 14. However, this latter feature is not essential, and may be eliminated if desired. I

When my improved case or container, constructed as above described is closed, it will be seen that the corresponding side walls of the case sections are disposed in a common plane with the diagonally extending edges 9 and 10 thereof in contact upon each other..

In this closed position, the flanges 18 will extend upon the inner sides of the walls 7 of the case section 5 to thereby exclude air from the article holder and thus preserve the con- .tents thereof against deterioration. It will further be observed that the two case sections are so constructed that when the case is opened to present the articles for withdrawal, the side walls of said case sections will not be liable to be bent or broken, nor do they be torn when the case is removed from thepocket.

When the device constructed of card board or similar material, the hinge 22 may consist of the usual strap of leather, linen or other flexible material fixed at one of its ends to the bottom wall 16 of the article holder and at its other end to part 14.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I show another form of the device which externally presents the same shape or appearance as the construction illustrated in Fig. l, but wherein instead of pro viding the part 14 and hinge 22 as shown in Fig. 2, a pivot or hinge pin 35 is engaged throughopenings in-oppesite sidewalls of the article holder and in the side walls of the case ternal projections 36thereon with which theedges of the side walls of the article holder are adapted to contact as shown Fig. 4, thus providing a positive stop for limiting the opening movement of the case section 6 A and relieving the pivot pin 35 of excessive strain.

In Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, I have illustrated another alternative embodiment of In present improvements wherein the article older 15 is not fixedly connected with either of the case sections 5" or 6 In-this construction, the two case sections are also provided with the rounded or convex edge walls, the corresponding walls at one edge of. the case having their opposed ends normally spaced apart at 13 in a similar manner to the constructions heretofore described. qAt

a point adjacent to these spaced ends of said convexed walls the article holder 15 is pivotally connected with the opposite side walls of the two case sections by the spaced pivot pins 37.

At the open edge of'the case section 5 a flange 38 is attached to the inner face of the wall thereof and projects beyond its edge as at 39 so as to lap upon the inner side of the wall of the other case section 6 when the container is closed and thus render the same air tight. The inner edge of the flange 38 acts as a stop with which the upper edge of one end wall of the article holder 15 contacts to limit the o ening movement of the case as shown m i 6. The outwardly protruding edge of this flange 38 has a lip 40 with which an inwardly curved spring' tongue 41 formed on the edge of one :end wall of the case section 6 is adapted tojengage to latch the case sections together. This ton e 41 is adapted to engage the other end wal of the article holder 15 to limit the outward pivotal movement of said case section 6" with respect to the article holder.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and various advantages of the several embodiments of my invention herein described will be clearly understood. It will be apparent that such a case or container may be inexpensively produced from cardboard or similar materials as an original container for cigarettes or other commodities, or it may be manufactured in more expensive form from sheet silver or gold or other metal. When closed, the case presents a very neat and attractive appearance, and also effectively preserves its contents against breakage or deterioration. The case can also be easily and quickly manipulated and access to thecontents thereof readily obtained,

While I have herein disclosed several desirable and practical embodiments of my present improvements, it is nevertheless, to be understood that the invention might also. be incorporated in various other alternative structures, and I accordingly reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes therein as may be fairly incorporated within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim: 7

1. A container comprising two mating sections, a false bottom in one of said sections, anarticle holder in the other section and adapted to enter the section containing the false bottom, and a hinge connecting the false bottom with the bottom of the article holder intermediate its ends.

2. A container comprisin two sections, a false bottom in one of sai sections spaced a short distance from the bottom wall of said section, an article holder in the co-operating section and adapted to enter the first mentioned section, the bottom wall of the article holder being spaced from the bottom wall of the section in which the article holder is mounted, a transverse hinge connecting the false bottom with the article holder at a point intermediate the ends of the bottom wall, and means connected to the false bottom and to the article holder for limiting the degree of movement toward open position.

3. A container. comprising a pair of sections separable on a diagonal line extending substantially from the center of one end, wall of one of said sections to one corner thereof, a false bottom in one of said sections, a container in the other of said sections, a hinge connecting the false bottom with the bottom of the container, the top of the container being wholly open and the side walls of the container being cut away at their upper edges intermediate the end walls, and flanges connectin the cut awa portions of the side walls wit thcend wal s for close frictional contact with the side walls of the section containing the false bottom whereby foreign substances will be excluded from the container.

4. A container of the character described comprising a parallelogrammatic case consisting of two sections having corresponding side and edge walls positioned in the same plane and the edge walls of the case sections being rounded or convex, said convex walls at one edge of the case having their opposed ends spaced apart when the case is closed, an article holding compartment fixed in one of said case sections and having a bottom wall spaced from said convex edge wall of the case section, a part fixed between the side walls of the other section adjacent said convex edge wall thereof and in spaced relation thereto, and a hinge connection between said part and the bottom wall of the article receiving compartment, said compartment projecting from the open side of said first named case section into the second named case section in both the open and closed positions of said case sections.

5. A container comprising a case consisting of two sections having corresponding side and edge portions positioned in the same plane and the body walls of the case sections being rounded, said rounded walls at one edge of the case having their opposed ends .spaced apart when the case is closed, an arti cle holding compartment fixed in one of said case sections and having a bottom wall spaced from said convex edge wall of the case section, a part fixed between the side walls of the other section adjacent said rounded edge wall thereof, and in spaced relation thereto, and a hinge connection between said part and the bottom wall of the article receiving compartment.

6. A container comprising two sections hinged together to separate on a diagonal line, an article holder secured in one section and having a bottom wall spaced from the adjacent wall of the section and extending into the other section, a part fixed in the other section adjacent said bottom wall of the holder, and a hinge connection between said bottom wall and part.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereto.

. CHARLES LENFANT. 

